Kama Kuntu

Description

Born into a music-loving family in Palestine, raised between Jerusalem and Ramallah, Christine Zayed is a singer, composer, and instrumentalist, a virtuoso of the qanûn. She was introduced to both classical and contemporary Arabic music, as well as traditional Palestinian music, from a very young age. Her repertoire is primarily based on classical Arabic music, rooted in maqam (the science and practice of Arabic modal improvisation), and on Arabic poetry, particularly contemporary Palestinian poetry. Her compositions, deeply rooted in tradition, are resolutely contemporary, seeking paths to modernity through the intersection with other musical universes. She has been living and working in France for several years and collaborates on multiple projects, including with the Ensemble Chakâm and the group Atine. She performs solo or in a trio with flutist Sylvain Barou and percussionist Habib Meftah, interpreting a repertoire found in her first album, Kama Kuntu (“What I Was”). Several guests appear on it, including Piers Faccini.